Zimbabwe

country in S Africa, north of South Africa and west of Mozambique: a self-governing British colony (as Southern Rhodesia) from 1923; became a republic (1970) as Rhodesia; gained full legal independence (1980) as Zimbabwe: 150,872 sq mi (390,757 sq km); pop. 10,402,000; cap. Harare

Origin of Zimbabwe

after a ruined city in the southeastern part, probably built (c. 15th circa ) by a Bantu people

Zimbabwe

A country of southern Africa. Various Bantu peoples migrated into the area during the first millennium, displacing the earlier San inhabitants. European colonization began in 1889 under the British South Africa Company founded by Cecil Rhodes, and in 1923 it became the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia (often just Rhodesia), which formed part of the colonial federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1953 to 1963. Rhodesia declared itself independent in 1965, although independence was not formally granted by Great Britain until 1980. Harare is the capital and the largest city.

also Great Zimbabwe A ruined city of southeast Zimbabwe south of Harare. First occupied by Iron Age peoples in the fourth century AD, it contains extensive remains of walls and towers dating from the 11th to 15th centuries.

Related Forms:

Zim·bab′we·an

adjective

& n.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Noun

(plural zimbabwes)

Any of the prominent cultural ruins of which Greater Zimbabwe is the most well known.

Origin

From Bantu, meeting house.

Proper noun

Country in Southern Africa. Official name: Republic of Zimbabwe. Formerly called Southern Rhodesia or Rhodesia.

Origin

From Shonadzimba-dze-mabwe (“house of stones"), in reference to Great Zimbabwe.

Sentence Examples

ZIMBABWE, a Bantu name, probably derived from the two words zimba (" houses") and mabgi (" stones"), given to certain ruins in South-East Africa.

From about 1550 onwards the Zimbabwe generally referred to by Portuguese writers was at a spot a little north of the Afur district, not far from the Zambezi.

Even before this it had been clear to archaeologists and ethnologists that there was no evidence to support the popular theory that Zimbabwe had been built in very ancient days by some Oriental people.

Finally from a comparative study of several ruins it was established that the plan and construction of Zimbabwe are by no means unique, and that this site only differs from others in Rhodesia in respect of the great dimensions and the massiveness of its individual buildings.

There are three distinct though connected groups of ruins at Zimbabwe, which are commonly known as the "Elliptical Temple," the "Acropolis" and the "Valley Ruins."

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We have fought for our land, we have fought for our sovereignty, small as we are we have won our independence and we are prepared to shed our blood…. So, Blair keep your England, and let me keep my Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe